Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA

Researchers have implanted corneas made of genetically engineered collagen in patients for the first time.  Potentially, the millions of people on the waiting list for corneas from human donors could experience restored sight with these implants made from human genes and specialized yeast cells.

Ten patients in Sweden had the genetically engineered corneas inserted two years ago; the vision of six of the ten has improved. None of the patients experienced graft rejection or required long-term immune suppression, both of which can be factors for patients who receive corneas from human donors.

Study authors are optimistic about the development of biosynthetic corneas, but say that the technology is not fully mature.  Right now, the lab-made material is very fragile making it appropriate for patients with surface corneal damage but not those with damage to the innermost layers of the cornea.

This study was published in Science Translational Medicine, Aug. 25, 2010; vol 2. Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=119207

RELATED: Scientist have also worked to transplant retinal tissue using stem cells.

image by namida-k

Scientists have found a gene that may be responsible for the progressive eye disease Fuchs corneal dystrophy (FCD). Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study concludes that people with a gene called transcription factor 4 are five times more likely to develop FCD.

HealthDay reports that Senior study author Albert Edwards tells them that, “understanding the genetic predisposition for FCD may be helpful for selecting participants for future studies on the condition, especially for research aimed at understanding if this genetic risk predicts its progression. Developing a genetic test for FCD could also help surgeons avoid transplanting donor corneas that might eventually develop the disease.”

Source: http://health.allrefer.com/news/20100825642472/study-links-gene-to-serious-eye-disease.html

Some people have reported positive results when trying to treat FCS naturally.

Photo by Gastonmag

In an attempt to determine how to increase the public’s lutein intake, Spanish scientists have been studying how lutein fortified bread and muffins may effectively deliver the nutrient to consumers.  Findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that using high-lutein wheat and corn flower in bread products resulted in “reasonable amounts” of  this powerful  antioxidant still available in the cookies, muffins, and breads.

Lutein is a carotenoid used in the retina and lens of the eyes. Studies have shown that low lutein levels can be a factor in the development of macular degeneration. Also, those with high concentrations of lutein in their systems are 50% less likely to develop cataracts.

Research on lutein supplementation in food is still ongoing and study authors say that “more research is being carried out to evaluate antioxidant properties of these wholegrain high-lutein food products.”

Source: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Muffins-and-bread-show-lutein-carrier-potential-for-eye-health

photo by Steve Jurvetson

Eye Tech Care, a French company, is testing a new way to treat glaucoma using ultrasound technology. The device would treat the cilliary body (the part of the eye that produces humour, the watery fluid that fills the front part of the eye) in order to decrease the amount of fluid in the eye, and, by extension, reduce the intraocular pressure within the eye.

The device has only been tested on twelve patients suffering from the rare refractory glaucoma, but if trials are successful they may begin testing it on the more common open angle glaucoma.  About 25 years ago researchers tried to use ultrasound technology to treat animals, but the technology of the time was too limited.

According to the International Glaucoma Association, which reported on this new development, ultrasound treatment for glaucoma would be quicker and less invasive than the current Argon laser procedures currently used to treat the disease.

Learn more about the causes and treatment of glaucoma.

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Vitamin A deficiency is uncommon in the U.S., but it affects many people in the developing world.  One of first symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency is night blindness, which, if untreated can develop into full scale blindness.  According to the World Health Organization Report on Vitamin A Deficiency, night blindness is estimated to affect 5.2 million preschool-age children and 9.8 million pregnant women around the globe.

Writing on a recent case in The Lancet, doctors who treated a pregnant woman who came to the emergency room after several weeks of progressive sight loss described this particular case, “Vitamin A deficiency can be secondary to poor intestinal absorption due to weight loss surgery, Crohn’s disease or pancreatic dysfunction. Our patient had anorexia nervosa and had limited her diet to white onions, white potatoes, and red meat for the past 7 years.”

We usually recommend taking vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A with a small amount of fat in the diet. Food sources of vitamin A include: yellow and orange vegetables (including yams, carrots, mangoes, cantaloupe, apricots, butternut squash,and sweet potatoes), and asparagus, spinach, kale, bok choy.  If you wish for additional supplementation, the recommended dose is approximately 15,000 to 25,000 I.U. of beta-carotene daily.

Learn more about food as sources of vital nutrients at our website.

Image courtesy of Microsoft

An egg a day can protect people over age 60 from developing macular degeneration.  A study published in the Journal of Nutrition the levels of powerful antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin in participants’ blood increased between 26 and 38% if they ate one egg per day.

The single egg did not contribute to participants’ cholesterol levels.

Studies have proven that low eye levels of antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, could contribute to Aged-Related Macular Degeneration.

Find more research abstracts on macular degeneration on our website.

Researchers have discovered a link between the popular anti-depression herb St. John’s wort and the development of cataracts.

Published in Current Eye Research, the study describes the results of questionnaires sent to over 31,000 people over age 40 about cataracts and their use of herbal remedies and treatments over the prior year. Those who reported that they had cataracts were 59% more likely to also report they had used St. John’s Wort.  Researchers do make clear that this questionnaire format has limits and further study is necessary to determine whether the correlation is dose dependent and learn more about the timing of taking the supplement and developing the cataract.

In earlier research, Hypericin, an active ingredient in St. John’s wort, was linked with crystallization of the eye’s lenses. But, to date, the association had not been evaluated in humans.

St. John’s wort is a European weed whose extracts have been used for the treatment of mental disorders, particularly depression. It is usually taken as an herbal tea or tablet.

Source: http://news.injuryboard.com/study-links-st-johns-wort-to-cataracts.aspx?googleid=274170

For more research on cataracts causes, treatments, and cures, please visit our website.

When LA graffiti writer, publisher and activist, named Tony Quan developed ALS, a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, he was left almost completely paralyzed. One part of his body that still enjoyed movement? His eyes.

Several groups have teamed up to design and build a low-cost, open source eye-tracking system that will allow ALS patients to draw using just their eyes. They call the device The EyeWriter, a pair of specifically designed eyeglasses hooked up to a computer that work together to translate eye movement into digital brush strokes.

Source: The EyeWriter Initiative.

The breast cancer drug tamoxifen may lead to eye problems in women over age fifty.   An article in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment reported that the drug can cause physical changes to the eye itself, specifically by shrinking the optic cup. The optic cup is the depression in the eye nearest to where the optic nerve exits on its way to the brain.   A previous study had indicated that about 13% of tamoxifen users report vision changes.

Lead study author Alvin Eisner, PhD told Medscape: “Clinicians need to be aware that if patients on tamoxifen are complaining of vision problems, these concerns need to be taken seriously.”

Source: Medscape

In a study of the brains of infants in response to various stimuli, it was found that babies experience increased brain activity when making eye contact with an adult. The results, published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, help scientist understand more development of social perception and suggest that a part of the brain is specifically programmed to process eye gaze even at a very early age.

Researchers measured “increased early evoked gamma activity at occipital channels indicating enhanced neural processing during the earliest steps of face encoding” when babies looked at pictures of women whose gazes were directed at them.  Pictures of women with their faces tilted downward or who were looking away from the viewer did not elicit the same response, “confirming that the gamma band oscillations observed in response to gaze direction are specific to upright faces.”

So, look deep into those baby blues and help the development of next baby you meet!

Source: Medscape Today